Pivotal
by Isolith
Summary: A small pivotal moment for Andy Flynn where Sharon Raydor is concerned.
1. Chapter 1

**PIVOTAL**

Summary: A small pivotal moment for Andy Flynn where Sharon Raydor is concerned.

 **/1/**

Andrew Flynn clinked his glass with sparkling water gently against his date's wine glass, a smile prominent on his lips. His date for the evening, Cynthia, smiled back, the bright warm glow of her lipstick glistening. Andy had forgotten the sheer joy of sitting in a fancy restaurant with a beautiful woman, the anticipation of what the night would entail; good food and good company. They were in the middle of the main course when Andy turned his head and caught a familiar form being seated at the other end of the small establishment.

Andy couldn't contain his smile at the figure of his Captain in a snuck black dress, completely unaware of anything but the man who directed her to the table.

What a strange turn of events, he thought, Sharon Raydor on a date nonetheless. Andy had been under the assumption she had a social life that reminded him of his own; nonexistent.

Andy watched her settle in, the neckline of her dress lower than anything he had seen on her before, and he had ogled her enough to know when her neckline was low. Her hair was meticulously styled, draped over one shoulder disclosing the pale of her collarbones. Andy watched as she crossed one leg over the other, intrigued by the show of bare legs; it was more than he had seen of her before and it drew his stare. It was not that he hadn't noticed her before, or taken notice of her attributes, but still there was something different about seeing her outside the office. She looked vastly different. Approachable even. Maybe it was the playful smile on her lips.

Andy shook his head and with a wry smile, he quickly turned his eyes and attention back to his own date. Yet he could not help sneak a look or two her way throughout the meal. That little black dress was mesmerizing.

Later on, waiting for desert, Andy saw the Captain rise and make her way to the restrooms in the back of the restaurant. Without much thought, Andy excused himself and made a beeline for his boss, a cheeky smile on his face he couldn't hide. He knew practically nothing about her and just seeing her outside the office was so new and strange it drew him like a moth to a flame. Heck, it had been what, five weeks since she had taken over Major Crimes. Up until that he had come to think of her as colloquial but annoying. Her manner was vastly different now than before and he didn't even feel like giving her the attitude Provenza was lathering up.

The former I.A woman was standing in the little hallway, the toilet occupied. She looked back over her shoulder when Andy came through the door. Her eyes landed on him curiously, a greeting smile that carried surprise and some form of professionalism.

"Captain," Andy grinned in greeting, half of a mind to salute her impishly.

"Lieutenant Flynn," she greeted back, the rank sounding soft from her lips.

"Fancy meeting you here, huh," Andy commented, taking a place next to her. He leaned his shoulder against the wall, trying to appear at ease.

She nodded with a secretive smile that looked to belong in a different setting.

"You come here often?" Andy asked, the words sounding embarrassingly awkward once they left his mouth. He gave off a shrug and a smile, relaxing once he saw the humor in her crinkled eyes.

"Define often," she replied smoothly, her voice lowered a notch.

Andy tilted his head, grinning.

"You on a date?"

This time the question turned her smile demure.

"Oh no, no," she smiled and hid her expression briefly as she looked down. When she looked up again, Andy caught something shift in her expression, "I'm married, remember."

"Oh, right, yeah," Andy replied, his eyes drawn to the hemline of her dress.

She cleared her throat and Andy quickly looked up again, finding her cheeks somewhat flushed.

Andy felt bolstered by the red hue on her cheeks. He smiled, "You look gorgeous, if you do not mind my saying so," he paused and then added "Captain" as an afterthought.

Sharon Raydor chuckled.

It was a soft and amused tone, silvery and light. Come to think of it, he was not sure he had ever heard her laugh before.

"Thank you, Andy," she said, his name coming off her lips easily, "The sentiment is mutual."

"You think I look gorgeous?" he teased her.

Her smile broadened, "You look dapper."

Andy shrugged with a smile, "I try."

She smiled, "And you are here with?"

"A woman," he arched an eyebrow.

"I never would have imagined," Sharon tilted her head and she put a strand of hair behind her ear revealing a little gold earring that Andy found fascinating. There was a note in her voice that sounded almost flirtatious.

Andy smiled, "Yeah, a date. Cynthia from DSDF, you know. She was the one who helped put together the file on Rusty's biological father."

"Oh," she smiled but it seemed somewhat subdued, "How small the world is."

He nodded.

The toilet door opened and a woman stepped out.

Andy watched as Sharon Raydor awkwardly took a step towards the toilet and then turned around, giving him a smile, her hands coming together, "Well, I'll see you Monday morning, lieutenant."

"Aye, aye, bright and early," Andy replied with a half salute, half wave, finding himself feeling a bit flustered when the smile on her mouth widened, "Nice talking to ya."

"You too, Andy."

His name sounded nice coming from her.

Needless to say, he was distracted the rest of the evening.

Cynthia was, for a lack of a better word, dull in comparison. It in the end, it wasn't Cynthia he thought of when he made it to bed but rather his Captain.

…


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for all the lovely feedback to the first bit. Thought I was finished with this story, but then creativity hit, and this little thing fit in. Thanks to a special bunny who prompted me to write this. Hope you enjoy.

 **/2/**

"You're the boss," he said the tone almost flippant, a smirk at the corner of his lips. The lieutenant stood at the entrance before the break room, his suit of the day a dark ensemble three-piece, immaculate and tailored. In the time Sharon Raydor had known the lieutenant – as much as you could know a peripheral colleague – he had always been impeccable dressed.

The comment and succinct tone slithered under her skin in a strangely infuriating fashion, too reminiscent of past remarks she had gotten from the man. She had promised herself a long time ago – seven years to be exact – to not let Andrew Flynn get under her skin and yet here she was, on the verge of feeling vexed on the basis of three words.

The lieutenant might have conceded and shown her respect the last couple of weeks but it was still a whole new world that lay in front of them. She had to admit this was so very different from Internal Affairs. Her agenda was different, and she knew it confused him as much as it confused her. They had just gotten the hang of good-old-fashioned antagonism, and now… Now it was something new. Now, they were forced to be cordial at the very least.

"That is true," she countered with a smile, knowing from past experience that a calm countenance always got to him, "I am."

She followed her words with an arched eyebrow, daring him to contradict her in any way.

The lieutenant only grinned in response and then he swept his arm out, indicating she go first.

"Go ahead, you can go first," he said and the smirk deepened and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what it meant.

There was a light in his eyes, full of humor and something else. His tone was not derisive but genuine. She was familiar with the way he always skirted just on the brink of insubordination with her, so this was entirely new. In any other circumstance, she would call it friendly. But no, Andy Flynn was not friendly, not when it came to her. She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, waiting a short moment for him to cave in and say something more in lieu of his old self.

He only shrugged, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion when she did not budge.

Giving in, she walked ahead of him into the break room.

Taking over Major Crimes had proven to be just as problematic as she presumed, and yet, she could not deny that she expected more resistance from him; of all the detectives in the squad, she had expected Andy to give her the most grief.

And here he was keeping up good banter instead, being chivalrous and considerate.

It confused her to a point, but in the end, she gladly took the offered hand of comradery.

"You a tea drinker?" he asked her from behind, his voice close by.

She turned around to regard him, almost positive his eyes had been on her behind. She smiled, well aware that he occasionally checked her out. It was a fact that had amused her beforehand; now that they were in the same division, she should put a stop to it.

She hummed, "Yes, I do enjoy tea."

"Let me show you Mike Tao's secret stash then," he offered, that damnable smirk still at play. Whereas it used to be condescending, now it invited her in as if they were sharing a secret just the two of them. She found herself smiling back at him.

"He won't mind?" she arched an eyebrow, her head tilted as she observed him going to the cabinet and taking out a box containing an assortment of different tea flavors.

"Nah," he shrugged his shoulders, "just fill it up every other blue moon, and Mike will never notice."

She felt obliged to keep up the conversation, so after finding a cup in the cabinet she asked him, "Are you a tea drinker, lieutenant?"

He offered her the tea box with a grin, "I'm more of a caffeine guy, Captain."

She shook her head with an amused smile.

Of course he was.

"But I drink tea every now and then," he drawled and for a second she had the feeling they were not talking about tea, the undertone almost flirtatious.

She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips; she was not sure if he was purposely playing with fire, or if it was just a figment of her imagination.

He chuckled and then turned to the coffee pot, pouring coffee into his cup, "So, how are you settling in?"

She kept a look on him from out of the corner of her eye as she found a tea flavor to her liking and then filled the kettle up with water. As the kettle began to boil the water, she turned to him.

"Just fine," she responded, the words a bit harsh so she softened it with a smile.

"Good, good," he nodded and then with an honest look, he stated, "Let me know, if there's anything you need."

She hummed, her eyes still on him.

"Cause, you know, I'm on your side," he continued.

"You are?" the words slipped out before she could censor them, questioning his intent.

"Honest to god, yeah," he nodded, his dark eyes earnest and his tone low, and then after a split of a second, humor broke through his expression and his mouth split into a grin again, "You're my boss, remember."

"Well, thank you lieutenant," she replied, feeling a little lighter.

"You're welcome," he said with a smile and then threw in a weird salute to her before he left the break room, her eyes on his retreating back.

Maybe, he was just trying to be friendly. She decided she did not mind but that she rather liked being a part of the team. If Andy Flynn was on her side, well, then the rest would soon follow no doubt about it.

She smiled as she poured boiling water into her cup, her thoughts going to his dark suit once again; if he could look at her, well, then she could look at him too. She shook her head, her smile turning self-aware. When she came back to the squad room, her cup of tea in one hand, she received an acknowledging nod from the lieutenant before she entered her office. She smiled back at him, the smile easy to bring forth.

Time would tell if she could trust him entirely, but for now, she chose to give him a chance.

...


End file.
